1.

What comment of Gwendolen’s at the beginning of Act III once again brings up the importance

of style? What does this illustrate about her character?

2. Although both girls forgive Jack and Algy for having deceived them, what do they say remains as

an insuperable barrier to marriage?

Despite the fact that both girls forgive Algy and Jack, they decided that their (Jack and

Algy’s) Christian names are insuperable barriers to marriage.

3. Why does Lady Bracknell say that Mr. Bunbury “seems to have had great confidence in the

opinions of his physicians”?

4. Although Lady Bracknell is initially against Algernon’s engagement to Cecily, what wins her over?

Initially, Lady Bracknell is against the thought of Algy marrying Cecily. However, once

Jack explains that Cecily is the grand-daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Cardew and that her

family solicitors are Messrs, Markyby, Markyby, and Markby. Furthermore, upon the mention

that Cecily has about one hundred and thirty thousand pounds in funds, she changes her mind

about the engagement.

5. For what reasons does Jack refuse to give his consent to Algy and Cecil’s engagement?
 Jack refuses to give his consent to Algy and Cecily’s engagement because he (Jack) does

“not approve of his moral character.” Jack thinks that Algy is untruthful for several reasons. One

of them includes the fact that Algy drank Jack’s bottle of ’89 wine, which Jack had been saving

for himself. Furthermore, Algy pretended to be Jack’s brother despite the fact that Jack very

clearly told Algy that he (Jack) had no brother and didn’t intend on having one either, and to top

it off, Algy ate all the muffins and stayed for tea along with winning Cecily’s affections.

6. What is Lady Bracknell’s response?

Lady Bracknell decides to overlook her nephew’s “deceitful” behavior, and allows Cecily

to give her hand in marriage to Algy.

7. What does Lady Bracknell accuse Miss Prism of having done 28 years ago?

Lady Bracknell accuses Miss Prism of having left Lord Bracknell’s house with a baby 28

years ago and disappearing with the baby. Investigations showed the perambulator with the

manuscript of a novel.

8. What does Miss Prism admit?

Miss Prism admits to having absent mindedly placed the baby in her handbag and her

manuscript in the bassinet while she was taking the child out for a walk. She then left the

handbag in the cloak-room of one of the larger railway stations in London, the Victoria, the

Brighton Line.

9. What does it turn out is Jack’s real identity? What is his real name?
 As it turns out, Jack is the son of Lady Bracknell’s poor sister, Mrs. Moncrieff, and Algy’s

elder brother. His father was a General and Jack is named after his father’s Christian name.

Jack’s real name is Ernest John.

10. As the curtain falls, Lady Bracknell accuses Jack of, “displaying signs of triviality”; what does Jack

say he realizes?